


I can't help falling in love with you

by Luna_Arsenica



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Karatoga AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:47:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21948283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna_Arsenica/pseuds/Luna_Arsenica
Summary: "Wise men sayOnly fools rush inBut I can't help falling in love with you"Aoi finds himself roped into a date with Onibi, and things start advancing fast between them until he can't stop them anymore.
Relationships: Izumi Iori/Nanase Riku
Kudos: 53





	I can't help falling in love with you

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Secret Santa gift for @xSakuraFubuki on twitter! Merry Xmas!

"Where do you think you're going?"

Among Aoi's less favourite things in Hikagemachi, the youkai trying to sneak past him was a strong contender for the first place.

"Uuuhhhhh....." Onibi looks, appropriately, like a deer under the headlights. It looks like he's trying to come up with an excuse, but it takes so long it makes Aoi lose the little patience he has for him.

"Why isn't your friend with you?" Aoi, almost about to snap, puts his hands to his hips and tries not to start a fight.

(It's really not necessary. It's also very hard not to.)

"He's working at the ramen shop" Onibi pouts and looks away, visibly offended "He says he doesn't work there but right when I'm bored he does!"

"So you're just bored..." Aoi can feel his hands closing on fists and keeps them away from his sword with only some difficulty and a sigh "Listen, just leave. I don't feel like dealing with you today"

The youkai doesn't seem satisfied with the proposal. The youkai has the gall to hold Aoi's gaze and make a counter proposal, one as ridiculous as only he could make:

"If you can't let me go to the human realm, then have a date with me!"

"Why should I" Aoi's reply is lightning fast. He didn't think about it for a second because he wasn't going to negotiate with a youkai to begin with.

"Because it would be fun and I'm bored?" Onibi doesn't look surprised either, like he was expecting that (more than obvious) reaction, and instead argues "C'mon, if I'm with you and Kamaitachi is working, you don't really have anything else to do here!"

And it's a painful reality, one that makes Aoi wince in a way he hopes isn't too blatant. No other youkai, shapeless or minor or powerful, is as insistent on crossing over to the human realm as Onibi and Kamaitachi, so keeping one of them busy meant taking care of half his job.

"Fine, I can entertain you for a while" Aoi sighs once again, trying to relax at least a bit.

"Yay! We're having a date~!" Onibi's mood improves significantly and Aoi can let it slip when he clings to him if only because it's just for a second.

"But, you can't take me to the ramen shop" he clarifies, confident that he needs to "If you wanted to go there just go on your own"

"Okaaaay" the way Onibi replies, dragging his words and feet, pouting and crossing his arms, confirms that he was going to say something like that.

Aoi mentally compliments himself for his foresight, but apparently it always takes a while for Onibi to think and it gets boring. Not like Aoi would admit it out loud  ~~ to a superior ~~ , but his duties as katanashu are less than stimulating, so he was pretty bored to begin with. If Onibi could provide some form of entertainment for the day, then at least…

His thoughts start drifting when he takes a side glance to Onibi. At this point he knows Hikagemachi so well that he doesn't really need to pay attention to his surroundings, so he lets himself focus on Onibi instead - how cute he looks when he moves his head from side to side, thinking, how his steps become more exaggerated and bigger when he's bored, how his pensive pout is different from his irritated one.

"Want a picture?" Onibi's voice catches Aoi by surprise, but not more than his smile and the peace sign he's making.

"Of course not. I don't have any use for something like that" Aoi can feel himself blushing, so he turns his face away. If Onibi saw that, he'll never see the end of it, so his first priority is preventing that - even before he interrogates himself about that reaction.

It's just the surprise factor, he tells himself. It's just because this is something new - he's always making Onibi mad, irritated, so a smile as sweet as that coming from him is something he'd never seen before. It's only that, what made his heart jump is only that, not the  ~~ cuteness ~~ brightness of that smile...

"Aoi?" Onibi's voice takes him back to reality and it's only then that Aoi realizes he was so lost in thought he stopped listening and zoned out completely. He shakes his head and blinks to refocus himself, then asks "Yes? Do you know where to go now?"

"Yeah! Let's go to the forest square!" Onibi's smile continues to blind Aoi a bit, but he raises an eyebrow at the proposal, prompting the youkai to explain "I think there's no fights or shows planned today so it should be empty!"

Aoi looks at Onibi's excited face for a second, trying to understand if he's pulling his leg or he's supposed to be excited too. Seeing his confused face, Onibi adds "It's a cool place to hang out!"

Even as Aoi starts walking towards the forest square, he's a bit surprised that Onibi really is that simple. A part of him is still expecting an ambush (or 'prank'), but he just sighs and asks "Why did you want a date specifically? What do these even mean to youkai?"

Onibi looks confused and blinks a few times, and even when he replies he sounds absolutely nonchalant "Youkais don't date. What a silly question"

It doesn't make any sense if that really is it, and Aoi looks even more confused, grasping at straws like every time he has to interact with this specific youkai.

"Why did you want a date, then?"

"Well, they mean something to humans, so" Onibi looks away from Aoi and all he can think is it's probably just curiosity. He thinks to himself that he could afford to learn a bit more about youkai too, considering he's apparently stuck with them for a while longer, but in the end he only lets out a long, drawn out sigh.

It apparently comes out as his classic 'this is just a waste of time' sigh, though, because it makes Onibi pout furiously, a few bouts of blue fire coming out of his head and his balled fists. It's all so over the top Aoi can't hold back a chuckle.

Onibi sucks his cheeks in like a fish, all rage forgotten soon, and stares at Aoi, making him feel even more confused than before at the sudden gesture.

"I didn't know you could laugh" Onibi keeps making faces, apparently trying to get Aoi to laugh again. He doesn't have time to chastise him for treating him like a kid before Onibi comments "It's a cute laugh. I like cute things"

(Aoi almost says 'me too', but he's too embarrassed about being called cute himself to handle that conversation.)

Onibi laughs in a way that to Aoi is much cuter than he could ever be, and they walk to the center of the square to take a seat.

"What do humans do on dates, anyway?" Onibi smiles, and his smile might be more relaxed and not as bright as before but his eyes are shining enough to make up for it.

For some reason, Aoi feels strangely disappointed to think that Onibi  _ really _ is in this only out of curiosity after all, and that he might not even be aware of the reasons humans date to begin with.

"Well, the usual date activities include walking together, having coffee or tea, watching a movie..." Aoi brushes off his worries quickly and proceeds to explain dates to the best of his not-experienced-at-all common knowledge "Thought I don't think we can do that in Hikagemachi. But anything that helps a couple know each other better is adequate"

"What about holding hands? Humans do that on dates, right?" Onibi leans on his hands, moving closer to Aoi, like he's offering they do precisely that.

"Yes, couples hold hands on dates too" Aoi doesn't want to take any hint that isn't thrown into his face, but Onibi does exactly that as he waves his hand in front of Aoi's eyes. He holds it if only so the youkai will stop, but instead he keeps pushing his limits.

"And kisses? Do humans on dates kiss?" Onibi looks increasingly more and more excited and Aoi is starting to have a hard time not blushing.

"Yes, I suppose they do" he takes a deep breath, but he answers as calmly as he can, eyes closed and avoiding contact with Onibi's.

"And what about se-?"

"That too, but not on the first date!" Aoi can feel his face burning now, and masks his desire to smack Onibi at least lightly with an exasperated "Good grief...."

Onibi laughs again, and the pure happiness in it is enough to make Aoi overlook it when the youkai comments "Your red face is very cute too!"

In the end, all they do is hold hands and talk. Those seem to be the main activities Onibi was interested in, anyway, because he doesn't ask for anything else.

Aoi is content about that arrangement too. Anonymity protects him so he doesn't feel too bad talking a bit about his family (as long as he isn't using their real names it should be okay), and in exchange he gets a few stories about Onibi's 'childhood' as a minor youkai.

He's surprised at how engaged he was in that conversation when he realizes the sun is setting.

"I've heard humans think sunsets are romantic" Onibi looks at the sun, and his expression is difficult to read. Aoi doesn't know what to say, so he doesn't reply to that.

That doesn't seem to be the correct reaction, however, since it makes Onibi turn to him, huffing, full pout "You're not taking this seriously!"

Not only does Onibi look angry, but also like he's about to cry. Aoi is surprised to see this. He doesn't understand why.

"Didn't humans say dates are only for people you  _ like like _ ?" Onibi yells at him at the top of his lungs, disturbing the calm of the empty forest, voice almost broken "Why go on a date with me if you don't? And why aren't you happy I invited you if you like me?? You're such an insensitive, mean idiot, Aoi!"

Aoi is beyond shocked at Onibi’s rant, mouth gaping as he tries to come up with something to say.

"I never thought you liked me like that" it's not easy to answer, and he's still trying to make sense of Onibi's angry confession, but he does his best to explain himself "I mean, we don't even know each other that much..."

"It's not like love is something you can explain" Onibi pouts, but he doesn't look away from Aoi's eyes even as his own start welling up with tears.

The word 'love' is too much for Aoi, though. He can feel his face flushing again and knows there's nothing he can do to prevent it.

But Onibi's eyes always look like burning fire, and mixed with the watery tears they're irresistible for Aoi. So, despite the very offended look in them, Aoi sighs, leans in and kisses his lips softly.

It's only for a second, and he's even more red after he pulls away (if that's possible), but he remembers he needs to explain himself before Onibi can complain about Aoi doing things he doesn't mean.

"I like you" he says, voice as determined as the first time he told his family he wanted to become a soldier, as firm as the first time he presented to formal training. He can feel himself shaking, more than ever before, but he doesn't look away from Onibi's bright red eyes.

And of course, Onibi is happy. He hugs Aoi, and kisses him again, this time for a longer time but still as chaste as Aoi was before. What isn't chaste in the slightest is the way he moves closer and closer until he's almost sitting on Aoi's lap.

"That's enough, I-" Aoi knows he's completely red up to his ears by now, and he can feel himself gasping for breath as he tries to push Onibi away "I'd like to take things slowly if possible"

"Aoi.... You know  _ you _ are the one who doesn't have all the time in the world and  _ you _ want to wait??" Onibi sounds exasperated, frustrated, but mostly just incredulous.

"I guess you have a point, but..." Aoi has no choice but to agree, because it's true, but his voice is an insecure mumble and Onibi smiles and kisses his cheek.

"Well, it can't be helped then!" Onibi's voice sounds too happy considering he just got a 'no', something he usually hates, and under Aoi's interrogating eyes he explains "You look really cute like that, after all!"

It's only then that Aoi realizes he fell back on his habit of covering his mouth with a hand when he feels embarrassed, and he sighs, trying to calm down.

It works, and they spend a few minutes in silence, a silence that starts awkward but turns more comfortable every second that goes by.

"I've never been out of the station by the time night falls" Aoi comments casually, voice soft so it's not too violent on the silence.

"Why? The night sky looks so beautiful in the forest" Onibi looks up to the stars that start appearing, one by one, and smiles. Aoi smiles when he looks at him, but then looks up too and shrugs.

"We don't have a curfew, but I personally never found anything interesting to do after my shift finished" 

"Well, now you can have dates with me by night!!" Onibi chirps in, excited, until Aoi retorts "I don't have the energy to go out every night and work every day with less than eight hours of sleep"

Onibi pouts, and so he feels the need to clarify, for the sake of a peace he just learned he's actually interested in maintaining "'Not every day' doesn't mean 'never again'"

Onibi looks content enough with that, letting out a happy noise and leaning on Aoi. When he closes his eyes, smiles and breathes in the night air of the forest, Aoi does the same, letting it calm him down and letting it all sink in. Letting the fact that he is now dating a youkai settle.

He figures this isn't going to be an easy relationship - it's not a common one to begin with, it's not like Aoi can introduce him to his family and thinking about their future makes him feel even more confused than this day's events. There's also the fact that he doesn't have anyone he can go to for advice, but...

But this is just starting. He can think about it all later, consider the logistics when he isn't too busy enjoying himself.

By now, what else is there to do but look up at the stars and wrap an arm (shy, but steady) around Onibi to bring him closer to his body. By now, this feels just right.


End file.
